diff --git a/instat/frmMain.vb b/instat/frmMain.vb
index b1a58b1cc0c..c2351ac4d28 100644
--- a/instat/frmMain.vb
+++ b/instat/frmMain.vb
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ Public Class frmMain
     Public strAutoSaveLogFolderPath As String = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath, "R-Instat_log_auto_save")
     Public strAutoSaveInternalLogFolderPath As String = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath, "R-Instat_debug_log_auto_save")
 
+    Private strMarkerFilePath As String = Path.Combine(strAutoSaveLogFolderPath, "app_marker.log")
+
     Public strCurrentAutoSaveDataFilePath As String = ""
 
     Private strLatestVersion As String = ""
@@ -457,32 +459,41 @@ Public Class frmMain
 
         '---------------------------------------
         'prompt user for recovery selection
-        If (strAutoSavedLogFilePaths.Length > 0 OrElse
-            strAutoSavedDataFilePaths.Length > 0) AndAlso
-            MsgBox("We have detected that R-Instat may have closed unexpectedly last time." & Environment.NewLine &
-                          "Would you like to see auto recovery options?",
-                          MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, "Auto Recovery") = MsgBoxResult.Yes Then
-
-            dlgAutoSaveRecovery.strAutoSavedLogFilePaths = strAutoSavedLogFilePaths
-            dlgAutoSaveRecovery.strAutoSavedDataFilePaths = strAutoSavedDataFilePaths
-            dlgAutoSaveRecovery.strAutoSavedInternalLogFilePaths = strAutoSavedInternalLogFilePaths
-            dlgAutoSaveRecovery.ShowDialog()
-
-            'todo. the dialog design is meant to only return just one option; script, data file path or new session.
-            'refactor the dialog to enforce the design
-
-            'get the R script from read file if selected by the user
-            strScript = dlgAutoSaveRecovery.GetScript()
-            'get the data file path if selected by the user
-            strDataFilePath = dlgAutoSaveRecovery.GetDataFilePath()
+        'Check if the marker file exists
+        If File.Exists(strMarkerFilePath) Then
+            Dim lastExitStatus As String = File.ReadAllText(strMarkerFilePath).Trim()
+            If lastExitStatus <> "CleanExit" AndAlso
+                MsgBox("We have detected that R-Instat may have closed unexpectedly last time." & Environment.NewLine &
+                              "Would you like to see auto recovery options?",
+                              MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, "Auto Recovery") = MsgBoxResult.Yes Then
+
+                dlgAutoSaveRecovery.strAutoSavedLogFilePaths = strAutoSavedLogFilePaths
+                dlgAutoSaveRecovery.strAutoSavedDataFilePaths = strAutoSavedDataFilePaths
+                dlgAutoSaveRecovery.strAutoSavedInternalLogFilePaths = strAutoSavedInternalLogFilePaths
+                dlgAutoSaveRecovery.ShowDialog()
+
+                'todo. the dialog design is meant to only return just one option; script, data file path or new session.
+                'refactor the dialog to enforce the design
+
+                'get the R script from read file if selected by the user
+                strScript = dlgAutoSaveRecovery.GetScript()
+                'get the data file path if selected by the user
+                strDataFilePath = dlgAutoSaveRecovery.GetDataFilePath()
+            End If
         End If
+
+        Using writer As StreamWriter = New StreamWriter(strMarkerFilePath, False)
+            writer.WriteLine("Running")
+        End Using
+
         '---------------------------------------
 
+
         '---------------------------------------
         'delete the recovery files
         If strAutoSavedLogFilePaths.Length > 0 Then
             Try
-                File.Delete(strAutoSavedLogFilePaths(0))
+                File.Delete(strAutoSavedLogFilePaths(1)) '1 to avoid deleting app_marker file
             Catch ex As Exception
                 MsgBox("Could not delete backup log file" & Environment.NewLine, "Error deleting file")
             End Try
@@ -1078,6 +1089,11 @@ Public Class frmMain
                 If RuntimeInformation.IsOSPlatform(OSPlatform.Windows) Then
                     CefRuntimeWrapper.ShutDownCef()
                 End If
+
+                Using writer As StreamWriter = New StreamWriter(strMarkerFilePath, False)
+                    writer.WriteLine("CleanExit")
+                End Using
+
             Catch ex As Exception
                 MsgBox("Error attempting to save setting files to App Data folder." & Environment.NewLine & "System error message: " & ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Critical, "Error saving settings")
             End Try